Castle Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force Strategic Air Command base in California, located northeast of Atwater, northwest of Merced, and about 115 miles (185 km) south of Sacramento.
New Coalinga Municipal Airport is three miles east of Coalinga, in Fresno County, California, United States. It is owned by the city of Coalinga.
Wasco Airport, also known as Wasco-Kern County Airport, is a public airport located two miles (3.2 km) northwest of Wasco, serving Kern County, California, USA. This general aviation airport covers 158 acres (64 ha) and has one runway.
Poso Airport, also known as Poso-Kern County Airport, is a county-owned public-use airport located four nautical miles (7 km) east of the central business district of Famoso, in Kern County, California, United States. It is mostly used for general aviation.
Shafter Airport, also known as Minter Field and formerly known as Air Corps Basic Flying School, is a public use airport located four nautical miles east of the central business district of Shafter and 14 miles northwest of Bakersfield, a city in Kern County, California, United States. Originally a World War II primary training facility for pilots, it is currently a public airport owned by the Minter Field Airport District. This airport is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015, which categorized it as a general aviation facility.
During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) established numerous airfields in California for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers.
Lemoore Army Air Field, located nine miles (14 km) southwest of Lemoore, California, was a dirt air field usable only in dry weather. It nevertheless was used by the AAF Western Flying Training Command as a processing and training field.
Eagle Field is a privately owned, private use airport in Fresno County, California, United States. It is located seven nautical miles southwest of the central business district of Dos Palos, a city in neighboring Merced County.
Rankin Field is a former airport and military airfield located approximately 7 miles (11 km) southeast of Tulare, California. It was a United States Army Air Forces basic flying training facility during World War II. It is now an agricultural and light industrial site.
Coalinga Municipal Airport (Old) is a closed airport located 1 mile north of Coalinga, California. The airport was closed approximately in the year 2000; all aviation use was moved to the New Coalinga Municipal Airport.
California during World War II was a major contributor to the World War II effort. California's long Pacific Ocean coastline provided the support needed for the Pacific War. California also supported the war in Europe. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, most of California's manufacturing was shifted to the war effort. California became a major ship builder and aircraft manufacturer. Existing military installations were enlarged and many new ones were built. California trained many of the troops before their oversea deployment. Over 800,000 Californians served in the United States Armed Forces. California agriculture, ranches and farms were used to feed the troops around the world. California's long coastline also put the state in fear, as an attack on California seemed likely. California was used for the temporary and permanent internment camps for Japanese Americans. The population grew significantly, largely due to servicemen who were stationed at the new military bases/training facilities and the mass influx of workers from around the U.S. in the growing defense industries. With all the new economy activity, California was lifted out of the Great Depression. Over 500,000 people moved to California from other states to work in the growing economy. California expanded its oil and mineral production to keep up with the war demand.
Chico Army Airfield auxiliary fields were a number of airfields used during World War II to support the Chico Army Airfield. On September 11, 1941, the US Army rented from the City of Chico a small 1930's airport that sat on 160 acres (0.65 km2) of land. The Airfield was five miles (8.0 km) north of the city center. The Army built up the small airport into the Chico Army Airfield. From the Chico Army Airfield operated the: United States Army Air Corps's Army Air Forces Basic Flying School, the Army Air Force Pilot School, the 10th Base Headquarters an Air Base Squadron and the 433rd Army Air Force Base Unit or Combat Crew Training Station of Fighter. To support the training of the many pilots, Chico Army Airfield operated a number of auxiliary airfields. Some auxiliary fields were no more than a landing strip runway, others were other operation airfield that supported the training at the Chico Army Airfield.
Gardner Army Airfield auxiliary fields were a number of airfields used during World War II to support the Gardner Army Airfield. May 12, 1943 the US Army leased 1,396.36 acres for Gardner Field, located 9 miles southeast of Taft, California. Gardner Army Airfield was named after Major John H. Gardner, a World War I aviator hero. The Army built three runways to support training activities need for World War II. From Gardner Army Airfield the United States Army Air Corps's Western Flying Training Command started training the needed pilots. To support the training of the many pilots, Gardner Army Airfield operated a number of auxiliary airfields. Some auxiliary fields were no more than a landing strip, others were other operation airfield that supported the training at the Gardner Army Airfield. The Vultee BT-13 Valiant and Boeing-Stearman Model 75 were the most common planes used for training at Gardner Army Airfields, but large bombers were trained also. Gardner Army Airfield auxiliary fields were:
Minter Army Airfield auxiliary fields were a number of airfields used during World War II to support the Minter Army Airfield near Shafter, California. Minter Army Airfield was also called Lerdo Field, after the nearby road. Minter Army Airfield also housed the Shafter Gap Filler Annex P-59A and Shafter Army Aviation Test Activity and opened in June 1941. An Army depot open on the base in October 1941, the Minter Sub-Depot, a division of the Sacramento Air Depot. Minter Army Airfield had 7,000 troops and civilians working at the base.
Victorville Army Airfield auxiliary fields were four airfields used during World War II to support the Victorville Army Airfield pilot training near Victorville, California, and Adelanto, California. After the war the Victorville Army Airfield was renamed George Air Force Base on January 13, 1948. The airfields were built in 1941 by the United States Army Air Corps just before the war. Victorville Army Airfield covered 2,200-acre in the Mojave Desert. The US Army held a groundbreaking ceremony on 12 July 1941. The base, called Victorville Army Flying School, was ready to use before the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The Army built four runways in a triangle configuration, with one runway down the middle of the triangle. Seven hangars were built to support operation. On April 23, 1943, the base was renamed Victorville Army Airfield.
Merced Army Air Field auxiliary fields were built to support pilot training at the Merced Army Air Field. In 1940 the US Army wanted to build near Merced, California a 30,000 per year basic pilot training base. The former city of Cuba, Merced County, California near the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway rail line was chosen at 37°22′50″N120°34′05″W at an elevation of 181 feet (55 m) for the main base, in Atwater, California. United States Army Air Corps leased the land from the City of Merced on 16 June 1941. Building the airbase school started on 8 July 1941 and opened on 20 September 1941 as a sub base of Army Air Forces Western Flying Training Command at Moffett Field. First called Air Corps Basic Flying School, Merced. The US Army moved part of the: 98th Bombardment Group, 539th School Squadrons, 540th School Squadrons, 541st School Squadrons, the 90th Air Base Squadron, and the 340th Material Squadron at Moffett Field to the new base in November 1941. The Air Corps Basic Flying School was renamed the Merced Army Flying School on 7 April 1942. To support the training auxiliary fields near the Merced Army Flying School were to be built for the flight training program. Merced Army Flying School was renamed the Merced Army Air Field in May 1943 and became part of the Western Flying Training Command.
Condor Field was an airbase located in Twentynine Palms, California used for training both in World War II and the Korean War. From 1939 to 1942, and from 1945 to 1949, it was operated as a civil airport. The now-abandoned airfield is on the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms. In about 1939, a 3,000-foot runway was built at the southeast edge of dry lake Mesquite Lake as a civil field and named Twenty Nine Palms Airfield.
Naval Air Station Livermore has nearby airfield landing strips to support the training of US Navy pilots during World War 2. The airfield are called Naval Outlying Landing Field (NOLFs). For the war many new trained pilots were needed. The Naval Outlying Landing Fields provided a place for pilots to practice landing and take off without other air traffic. The remotes sites offered flight training without distractions. Most of the new pilots departed to the Pacific War after training. The Outlying Landing Fields had little or no support facilities. Naval Air Station Livermore opened in 1942 and closed in 1951. The Outlying field closed in 1945, having completed the role of training over 4000 new pilots. To open the needed Outlying Landing Fields quickly, the Navy took over local crop dusting and barnstorming airfields.
Naval Air Station Los Alamitos Naval Outlying Landing Fields were a set airfield near Naval Air Station Los Alamitos to support the training of US Navy pilots during World War 2. The support airfields are called Naval Outlying Landing Field (NOLF). For the war, many new trained pilots were needed. The Naval Outlying Landing Fields provided a place for pilots to practice landing and take off without other air traffic. The remotes sites offered flight training without distractions. Most of the new pilots departed to the Pacific War after training. The Outlying Landing Fields had little or no support facilities. Naval Air Station Los Alamitos opened in 1942 and was transferred to the US Army in 1977 as Los Alamitos Army Airfield. Most of the Outlying fields closed in 1945, having completed the role of training new pilots. To open the needed Outlying Landing Fields quickly, the Navy took over local crop dusting and barnstorming airfields. Naval Air Station Los Alamitos was also called Los Alamitos Naval Reserve Air Base. During the war Marine Corps Air Station El Toro also used the outlying Landing Field. The Timm N2T Tutor was the most common plane used for training on the outlying landing fields.
Sweetwater Dam Naval Outlying Landing Field was a airfield near Naval Auxiliary Air Station Brown Field and Naval Air Station North Island used to support the training of US Navy pilots during World War 2. The runway built in 1944 was located in what is now a neighborhood 8 mile east of San Diego, California. The Navy support airfields are called Naval Outlying Landing Field (NOLF). For the war, many new trained pilots were needed. The Naval Outlying Landing Field provided a place for pilots to practice landing and take off without other air traffic. Sweetwater Dam site offered flight training without distractions. Most of the new pilots departed to the Pacific War after training. The Sweetwater Dam Outlying Landing Field had no support facilities. After the war the Outlying field closed in 1946, having completed the role of training new pilots. Sweetwater Dam Naval Outlying Landing Field and Sweetwater Carrier Landing Strip. The Landing Field had a single 3,000-foot east/west asphalt runway. The Navy leased 135.45 acres of grassland from Rancho de la Nación for the Landing Field. In 1949 the runway became a private civil airport, the Sweetwater Dam Airport also called the Paradise Mesa Airstrip. The Airport is named after the nearby Sweetwater Dam that makes the Sweetwater Reservoir. The Airport closed in 1951 and the runway became home to the Paradise Mesa Drag strip. The Carlsbad, California's Oilers Club help start the drag strip with the first meet on March 11, 1951. At its peak, 25 clubs were using the strip. The drag strip closed in 1959. Houses were built on the site, now called Paradise Hills and no trace of the runway can be found today. Part of the site is also the Daniel Boone Elementary School.
